Gone, But Not Forgotten
by S. S. Shadow
Summary: Tenchi takes a little walk to visit someone dear to him, and at the end is comforted by his chosen love. Surprise pairing at he end. Not the greatest summary, but the story is well worth it, I guarantee it. Told from Tenchi's P.O.V.


**Gone, but not Forgotten**

Disclaimer: The following story is a product of S. S. Shadow Productions. Tenchi Muyo and its characters are the sole property of Pioneer, and in no way shape or form belong to me in the slightest. I profit in way from the production of this story, so without further ado, on with the show.

Author's notes: This story is told entirely from Tenchi's POV.

I woke up feeling the frigid bite of winter's intensity of the morning breeze. It was a cool enough night, but with a tinge on warmth that convinced me to leave my bedroom window ajar to allow it passage into my room. I'm paying for it now though, as I wake up to a floor that would almost pass for ice, save the semi-plush carpeting that covered it. I threw on a pair of heavy jeans, as well as a deep rich blue turtleneck sweater to fight back the chill as I crossed the room to close the window above my desk. I look outside to see the larger then average snowflakes falling steadily from above, to the few inches already gathered on the ground. I'm surprised to see it snowing so much, considering that not even a flake had fallen by the time I went to bed last night. I turn my attentions to the sounds of laughing and yelling below where I can see the girls have all come out bearing their winter wear, playing carefree through the white foliage in what seemed to be a snow fight in the making, everyone was out there, Ayeka and Ryoko who were more then likely the designated team captains; Sasami and Mihoshi were covering Ayeka's flanks, while Kiyone and even Washu, who decided to take a break from her lab to enjoy day, were backing the opposition. It was a picture perfect moment, everyone together, enjoying themselves in a friendly if not slightly competitive matter. Any worries or problems they might've had, or been having, were for the time being lost as the traces of stress and tension melted away from their faces, replaced with a sense joy and carelessness, it looked good on them...on her.

Everyone looks so happy, like snow was the greatest thing to ever grace the Earth, reminding people of things good and poor, representing things that were still pure and innocent. How I wish that I could be out there with them, sharing in the joy they're radiating in waves. Unfortunately it's not to be, at least not for now, though I possess a few small pleasant memories related to this particular wonder of nature, one thought still reigns as the dominant factor behind my meager dislike for the snow.

I sit at the foot of the landing just inside the house, lacing up my boots, donning the rest of my own winter attire, preparing to go for my usual walk...well, usual at least for when the snow falls in such a manner. Finally ready, I slide the door open and head outdoors.

Nobody notices my passing by at first, as I make my way along the outskirts of the battle in progress, but when a stray snowball manages to barely graze the threads on the back of my jacket, everyone stops to notice my trek upwards towards the family shrine. Unlike the greetings I would normally receive from each of them, especially the more...vocal members, they all just stare in silence, as they too know what my intentions are, and the significance of what days like today mean to me, and for that I'm eternally grateful. It hurts though to think that they can't enjoy today's developments simply because of my rather somber mood, so I pause from a few steps up and look back at them with a weak, but reassuring smile, letting them know that it's okay, I'm alright, and that they should go back to enjoying themselves without worrying about me. They're hesitant at first, but soon managed to re-immerse themselves in their mock massacre. If I had turned once more about halfway up to look back, I would have noticed one pair of eyes, along with their host, silently following me on my little journey.

I make it to the top of the stairs and gaze at the simple, yet by many standards, elegant shrine, and the grounds it resides in, all of which I have had the responsibility of caring for, as far as the cleaning and maintenances go, it'll still be a while, not to mention much more training before grandfather decides to turn control of it over to me, but that's not important right now, nor is it relevant to why I'm up here. Veering off to the right, I take a side trail from the holy grounds. It's worn enough to show that it's visitors, while few they may be, have treaded it's ground frequently, and with the trimming and grooming to the overhanging and side branches, quite respectively.

By now I realize that I'm being followed, I'm not so dense that I fail to notice. Though I never look back to confirm her identity, I know who my shadow on this trip is, it's a bit amusing really, to know she's trying so hard to keep silent, yet at the same time keep up with me without being noticed. I let her keep believing in such a manner as I near my destination, after all, ignorance is bliss, right?

As I reach the clearing up ahead, I notice the object of my goal standing silently near the edge of the cliff, a single tree, ripe with age, yet robbed of the soft pink cherry blossoms that glorify it in the spring and summer, stands as the lone sentry, guarding it from harm. Making my way up to stand before it, I take note of two sets of footprints that have already found there way to and from where I now stand, no mistaken who they each belong to, we each visit once separately, and then as a group later in the evening, that's how it has, and most likely always will be.

I kneel down into the softness under me and lovingly trace the lettering on the small marble monument, placed here years ago in remembrance of the most important woman in the lives of my grandfather, father, and myself, my mother...Achika Misaki.

Kissing my fore and middle finger, I place them on her stone, and look up to the heavens in silence, as the dark, rolling clouds that blanket the sky, continue to spill it's crystallized whitewash across the land. Gazing at it once more, I reach back and try to pull forth all the memories that I can; embraces filled with warmth and kindness, eyes that shone with all the love that a mother was capable of sharing with her child, and a voice so magical and soothing that even the most powerful images of darkness and despair wilted away before it's tender might. Hard as it is for me to do so, I manage to relieve those precious memories, only to come to the same harsh reality, that she's gone, cruelly ripped from my life at such a young age, left with only old memories of times long gone, but certainly never forgotten. These and the knowledge that a rather large and extensive video library, courtesy of my father's obsession with recording everything in their lives, waited for me, ready for viewing at any time, placate me, knowing that I can still see her anytime I wish, even if it is only on a television screen.

The realization that I had been shaking with repressed sobs, and tears that had begun to squeeze through my clenched eyelids was lost on me until the feeling of two slender, feminine arms slipping around my upper arms and encircling my chest, pulled me back to reality and into her gentle grasp. How I had forgotten that she was there the whole time, even if it was from a distance was of no concern to me, as I turned to face and wrap my arms around her waist, all that mattered was that she was here, holding me close and whispering words of comfort and endearment into my ear as I laid my head in the crook of her neck, letting all my pent up emotion run free down my cheeks and into the fleece collar of her jacket. Right here, right now, I wasn't a future shrine keeper, or heir to the empire of the universe, or even the most powerful mortal to exist, I was just a simple boy morning the lost of his mother in the arms of his finally realized true love, nothing more, nothing less.

Minutes passed like hours atop of the cliff where we sat together. It wasn't the first time I cried over my mother's grave, but thanks to my resolve to finally come forth and make a decision almost a year ago, it was the first time I had someone to find comfort in afterwards. I would've thought that choosing was going to be some Herculean task, but all it took was a little time getting to know them one on one that made it almost too easy. Course the backlash from my decision, though expected, was more volatile then I had expected, even to the point where I thought I would surely lose this new family that I had come to enjoy. The weeks that followed were tense, but once tempers and ego's subsided and cooler minds prevailed, the only change in the bond between all of us, was for the threads of that bond to turn from iron into titanium. The greatest test to our strength as a family was met and endured with grace and style, we're all still together and now I'm free to be with the one I love.

I reflect on these thoughts happily as the final tears leave me. Finding the strength to pull away just enough to come eye to eye with my emotional safety net, I gaze into her, eyes that burn with the same love and intensity that I've seen in only one other woman's eyes stare straight back at me. Drawing us together, I share that love with her and vice versa in the form of a kiss filled with passion, yet sweet and soft, unrushed by stray thoughts of lust or desire, and born of a need to comfort and reassure.

She asks me as we help each other up if I'm alright now, and when I look back at her stone, for the first time in what seem s like forever, I turn to her without reservation and tell her that I am. She asked me once at a fair earlier in the year that my mother use to take me to, if I thought she would make a good mother someday, and I remember telling her what I thought then, and knowing her as I do now still think, any child would be lucky indeed to have her as a mother. Feeling the air of sadness dissipate around us, I'm a bit puzzled when she pulls away from me and walks ahead of me a yard or so, only to be replaced by impending doom as a larger then average snowball heads for my face seconds before the resounding splat signifies a direct hit. I stare in shock at what just happened before I look up at the sound of her laughing, not to be outdone, I take advantage of her being distracted to whip up and deliver my one of my own, pelting her in the collar just below the chin where it slides down into both her coat and shirt. I smirk when I hear her indignant cry, and when she looks up to see me waiting with two more ready and waiting, she gasps before blowing a raspberry and takes off down the trail ducking my shots along the way. Looking once more at the monument behind me with respect, I take off in pursuit of my girlfriend, trading barrages of snowballs with her at every turn, making memories of a different kind to fight the winter cold.

As we gradually fight our way back down in a flurry of slush and snow I can't help but think, when we're ready to accept the responsibility of parenthood, I'll make sure that I'm the best father I can be, and as for you, well, you've got nothing to worry about, any children we have will be proud to call Kiyone Makabi their mother.

Mom, Kiyone, I love you both, now and forever.

The End

Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. I've had this idea rolling around in my head for the past week and finally sat down to write it out to the best of my abilities. I had been reading fanfics in my spare time. –Yeah, yeah, I know I should be working on my other stories like I told everyone I was going to, but this seemed like too good an idea to just let go or scribble down for later usage- When I started this I just couldn't bring myself to stop until it was down, I even fell asleep at my computer writing this, how's that for dedication lol, but now roughly eight hours of typing, reviewing, and re-typing, it's down, and ready for you the viewers to read, review (PLEASE REVIEW) and enjoy. I hope to hear reviews from many of you, lets me know all my work and effort weren't in vain. Unless I come up with something else beforehand, I'll see you again when I update one of two stories, Love and War (DragonBall Z), or the third installment to my Tenchi Muyo Tenchi/Kiyone series. Read the advertisement below or visit my author's page to check on the progress of my other stories, until then farewell everyone.

ADVERTISMENT:: If you liked this story or are a simple fan of anime, then check out my other fanfiction stories on my author's page:

Gundam Wing-- 'Old Love, New Love' and 'The Pain and Joy of Love'

Tenchi Muyo-- 'Rainy Day Lover' (my very first story ever written) and its sequel 'Lovers Revealed'

DragonBall Z-- 'Love and War' (My crown jewel as a writer to this point)

Yu-Gi-Oh-- 'The Odd Couple' (involving a pairing as rare as Exodia itself, Joey/Ishizu.)

I can assure you that any of these six stories make for a decent read and have been labeled as so by other readers, writers, and reviewers


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